Catch up on the most recent events at Five Feline Farm. We re-queened a beehive, attended our first farmer’s market and endured a mishap at the market.
If you are listening to this episode before midnight on May 31, 2019, you have the opportunity to win a prize if you submit the winning name for our third beehive. Send us an email with your idea to fivefelinefarm (at) gmail.com. The winner will be selected in early June.
Until next time…
Asparagus is a tender, delicious vegetable and its spring appearance after the long winter makes it a special treat.
One of my favorites ways to use asparagus is in a quiche. The name sounds fancy but it is easy to make. There is no limit to the combinations of vegetables, meats or cheeses that can be used, but this version highlights fresh garden asparagus and chives.
As a bonus it reheats well, so provides lunch for a couple of days.
1 pie crust
5 large eggs
1-1/2 cups half and half or milk
1 cup of asparagus, cut into thin rounds
1 cup shredded swiss cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh chives, plus 3 long pieces for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Pie crust is quickly made by mixing 1 cup flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1/3 cup shortening. Stir in water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together into a ball, cleaning the sides of the bowl. Handle as little as possible, kneading only 2 or 3 times to make a smooth ball. Roll into a circle larger than the pie pan and transfer the crust into the pan. Prick the crust or use pie weights to keep the crust from puffing and pre-bake for 10 minutes in 375º oven. (You can use a pre-made crust, if desired.)
Evenly distribute asparagus, cheese and minced chives over bottom of crust. Mix eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. Pour over the filling being careful not to overflow the crust. Add long pieces of chives in a decorative pattern on top.
Bake at 375º for 30 to 40 minutes until the eggs are set and the top lightly browned. Let cool slightly and cut into wedges for serving.
Pair with a crisp green salad fresh from the garden and a glass of chardonnay.
If this recipe intrigues you, check out my book Simply Delicious. Part memoir and part cooking instruction, this is how I cook.
We are ready and excited to be part of the 18th Street Farmer’s Market again this year. The gardens are producing early crops like lettuce blend, radishes, rhubarb, and spinach. Tomatoes are being planted this week along with the peppers.
As always we will have our jams nearly world famous scones.
Come out and see us beginning May 18, 2019 every Saturday morning from 8:00AM until noon or we are sold out, whichever comes first.
Until next time…
Our last two posts discussed choosing determinate or indeterminate and the benefits of heirloom varieties. Now you have chosen your tomato plants and it is time to get them in the ground. If you haven’t read those yet, click here and here.
Or is it?
To ensure the best chance of success follow the following steps:
The first thing to ensure success is the process of “hardening off”. This technique helps acclimate your plant to the world of weather outside. All tomatoes grown in Central Illinois are started by seed early in the year inside a greenhouse or other indoor setting. In these controlled environments, the plant does not have an opportunity to adapt to blowing wind or pounding rain.
Wait until the daytime temperatures are above 60º, then set the plants still in their pots in a semi protected but outdoor area for a short period of time each day. At first, the plant’s adjustment may make you think the plants have wilted or are not going to survive. Trust that they will perk up overnight and be ready for their next excursion outdoors. Increase the time outside daily. During this time, limit watering to bare minimums. The goal is to strengthen the plants but keep them alive.
After a week or so of this increasing exposure to the outdoor weather and when the soil temperature is above 50º at 4 inches (or threat of frost has passed), your tomatoes are ready for the garden or patio pot.
Tomatoes need calcium to protect against blossom end rot. Crushed egg shells work perfectly. Save approximately one egg shell for every tomato plant. When ready to plant, crush the eggshells and add a pinch of epsom salts for each egg shell. The epsom salts add magnesium and sulfur to the soil as a fertilizer and support healthy plant growth.
When ready to plant, dig a hole slightly wider than the pot the tomato is in and twice as deep for each plant. Divide the eggshell mixture among each hole and add water. Allow the water to absorb into the soil to dissolve the epsom salts and you are ready to plant.
For the best strength and success, bury tomato plant to the first set of leaves. This may feel unusually deep but tomato stalks will grow roots all along the stalk and increase the ability of the plant to take up soil nutrients. Most tomato plants will require some type of staking or cage to ensure they remain upright and the fruit stays off the ground. It is best to add this now while the plant is small instead of struggling to contain a large unruly plant.
That’s it. Ensure adequate water if it does not rain and in about 6 weeks, you will be picking your own fresh, ripe tomatoes.
Stay tuned to our social media for progress on our garden and post pictures of your own. Five Feline Farm is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
